Greater New Orleans

This map of potential human trafficking cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center was put together by the Polaris Project and shows substantial activity around the Gulf South.
(Polaris Project)

At-a-Glance: An effort to identify victims of human trafficking and allow their cases to be heard by specially designated judges in Louisiana was given preliminary approval by state lawmakers Thursday (March 27).

The bill: House Bill 569 is sponsored by state Rep. Julie Stokes, R-Kenner and supported by Gov. Bobby Jindal. The legislation would allow district court judges to vote on whether they'd like to create specialized human trafficking court divisions. Judges within these divisions would be trained in services available to victims of human traffickers, many of whom are initially idenitified as prostitutes.

It would also allow victims of human trafficking who have been charged with prostitution to request their cases be dismissed, and for judges to steer them toward support services. Designating special human trafficking courts could mean increased costs, according to a fiscal note on the bill.

The debate: There was no debate around this bill. Lawmakers in Louisiana, which already has some of the strictest anti-trafficking laws but continues to see high rates of the crime, this year are again trying to cut down on its prevalence.

The vote: Approved without dissent.

Next step: Heads to the full House.

The voice: "Often the only point that we have a chance to reach out and change life for them is at a time of arrest." -- Julie Stokes

"That 16 year old girl, she has dreams she has a future. And I guarantee you talking to them their future did not include...defacing their bodies and other things." -- State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson